"Expose" (Season 3, Episode 14)

I am running out of superlatives to use to describe how great these episodes are! How about: razzle dazzle? Or to quote Hurley: "The most awesome hour on television!" The first six shows notwithstanding, I believe this is turning out to be the best season yet. That was another terrific opening leading us down one path (of course, Nikki's a stripper!) then surprising us with the fact that it's just an incredible hokey TV show, "Expose", starring Lando Calrissian himself, Billy Dee Williams as Mr. LaShade aka The Cobra. I love when we see previous scenes from a different point of view, such as revisiting the plane crash and knowing the real reason why Paolo was using the Pearl Station's bathroom. And didn't you love the fact that Nikki and Paolo found both the drug smuggler's plane ("If I go up there, that thing's gonna fall") and the Pearl Station hatch before the "cool kids" did? Plus, a return of Shannon and Boone, our favorite incestuous step sister and brother. Not to mention Dr. Leslie Artz and the always creepy Ethan.

Best Line - "She's got no gunshot wound, no knife wound, no polar bear bite, nothing." Hurley trying to determine what "killed" Nikki.

Did You Notice?

• Before I discuss this episode's points of interest, I wanted to note something from last week that caught my attention at the time but I did not think about again until I read some other viewers comments online. When Locke was walking away from the sub, his clothes were dripping wet as if he just came out of the water. But, earlier, he boarded the sub dry with the intention (we think) of blowing up the sub. Is it possible he simply sank the sub for later use and dove in the water to wire the C-4 to the dock, which is what actually blew up?
• Also related to last week's show, Locke was watching the televison show "Expose" when Peter Talbot came to his apartment to ask about Locke's father. You can hear a reference to "The Cobra".
• The filming clapboard for "Expose" had the director listed as Stephen Williams, who was the actual director of this episode of "Lost".
• Could Paulo's nicotine gum have been manufactured by Widmore Labs? Or do they only do pregnancy tests?
• Shannon scolded Boone for "flirting with random guys". Makes you look at his and Locke's long walks in the jungle in a whole new light.
• Boone was looking for a pen because Jack had told him to find one for Rose's tracheotomy to keep him busy.
• Ethan was subtley suggesting Nikki and Paulo travel inland. Perhaps to get them alone and away from the other survivors?
• "The pigs are walking" comment by Arntz was a reference to the putupon Piggy in the book "Lord of the Flies".
• It was interesting to hear Ben and Juliet's conversation at the Pearl Station. Tom had apparently been there smoking as evidenced by the cigarette butts on the table, Juliet thought Jack was cute, and Ben ordered that the hatch be covered with the plane.
• Vincent the dog knew Nikki and Paulo weren't really dead! That's why he pulled off the blanket.
• First, Charlie shaved. Now, he's confessed to his past sins (abducting Sun). He's really turning his life around. He should be dead by the end of the season.
• Sawyer was reading Agatha Christie's "Evil Under the Sun", an appropriate choice since this episode unfolded like a classic mystery with a couple of bodies, intrigue, circumstancial evidence, and a twist ending right out of an "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" show.
• Plywood -> power lines -> Paulo lies -> paralyzed.
• Locke told Paolo that things don't stay buried on the island. Is there hope then for him and Nikki? Also, in a previous season's episode, Hurley half-jokingly feared that they would one day be chased into the jungle by zombies. This could come to pass if Nikki and Paolo dig themselves out.

The New and Improved Numbers - 2 4 6 8 15 16 23 42 (108) and maybe 5?

• 84 days ago, 80 days ago, 48 days ago, and 8 hours ago were all featured in the flashbacks
• Sawyer said he and Hurley were playing the best out of 5 in ping pong.
• Sawyer said Nikki was 5 seconds from dying.
• The islanders thought 2 people had died.
• One flashback occurred 6 days since the plane crash.
• "Expose" miraculously aired for 4 seasons.
• Nikki referred to Kate and "her 2 boyfriends".
• Paulo was wearing a shirt with the number 52.
• The diamonds were worth $8 million.
• Monitor 5 was on at the Pearl Station.
• 2 weeks ago Hurley went to the Others and 2 weeks ago it was Thanksgiving.
• Nikki said there were 6 stations.
• Nikki told Paulo he could expect 8 hours of paralysis after he was bitten.

Simply Red

• Lights at the strip club.
• Digital numbers on the clapboard.
• "Gunshot wounds" on Nikki.
• Ladder at the television studio set.
• Blood on Paulo's face after the plane crash.
• Top worn by Nikki when befriending Dr. Artz.
• Roof on Desmond's hut.

Previews - To balance out this week's shirtlessness by Paolo and Sawyer, next week's show, "Left Behind", gives the male viewers a treat: Girl fight! In wet t-shirts no less!

Lost and Foundling

A visitor from the latest Dharma location: The Changing Station.

"The Man from Tallahassee" (Season 3, Episode 13)

For everyone who stuck it out through the first six episodes of this season and the change to the 10:00 p.m. time slot (even you who record it, go to bed, and watch it the next night), we are being rewarded with one spectacular show after another. And last night's episode was no exception. From the opening flashback making us believe Locke was already confined to a wheelchair when in fact he was just clinically depressed (don't worry, John, it has to get better, right?) to the quiet moments between Jack and Kate to the verbal sparring between Locke and Ben to Rousseau seeing her baby all grown up for the first time to us learning how Locke was paralyzed to that jaw-dropping moment at the end ("Dad?"), this was a great show.

Best Lines - There were a number of lines that could qualify but my two favorite ones were:

• "No, John, unfortunately, we don't have a code for 'There's a man in my closet with a gun to my daughter's head.' Although we obviously should." Ben responding to Locke's query as to whether "the man from Tallahassee" was a code phrase.
• "We have two giant hamsters running on a massive wheel at our secret underground lair." Ben answering Locke's question regarding where they get their electricity.

Did You Notice?

• Locke's dad used the alias of Adam Seward. Adam was the same name as Shannon's father. The name Seward is very close to Sawyer and rumor has is it that Locke's dad may be the real Sawyer who ruined island Sawyer's life.
• "The man from Tallahassee" that Ben asked for was apparently Locke's dad. As to why he referred to him this way, only time will tell.
• When Locke is talking to his dad at the florist's, through the shop's window a Bonneville can be seen driving by. This same make and model of car hit Michael in Season 1, putting him in the hospital; it almost ran over Locke in his Season 1 flashback when he was chasing after his mother; and this is also the car Kate ran into when fleeing the hospital in her friend Tom's car. Coincidence? I think not.
• Prior to Jack talking to Kate, Tom gestured to him that there were listening devices in the game room.
• Ben decorated his house with a number of tribal masks.
• Locke looking down into the hatch of the sub was nearly identical to him first looking into the station's hatch oh those many episodes ago.
• Locke's dad poured two glasses of McCutcheon whiskey, the same brand that Charles Widmore refused to give Desmond.
• Ben's associate, Richard Albert was the doctor who recruited Juliet to come to the island.
• After the shock of seeing Locke being pushed through a window by his dad, I remembered the scene from Season 1 when Hurley was speaking with his financial planner of his bad luck and the body plummeting past the office window. Could they be one and the same? After re-watching last night's show and the DVD of the earlier episode, I don't think so. Although both men wore dark pants and lighter-colored long-sleeved shirts, Hurley's guy fell face first parallel to the building whereas Locke fell face-up perpendicular to the building. However, Locke's fall marks the third of its kind, the first being in Hurley's scene and the second being Sun's tutor/lover who landed on Jin's car. Could Locke's dad have been behind these two as well?

The Numbers - 4 8 15 16 23 42 (108) and the rest (2 & 6)

• Someone in the movie on Locke's television spoke the line "The Bolivian coal deposits were stolen last night around 2 a.m."
• Peter Talbot told Locke that Adam Seward met his mom 2 months ago.
• Locke spent 4 years in a wheelchair.
• When the detectives visited Locke, Peter Talbot had been there 2 days ago.
• The Talbot family fortune was worth over 2 hundred million dollars.
• The Barracks use 2 giant hamsters to provide elec- oh, wait, never mind.
• Locke fell 8 stories to the ground after his father pushed him.

Red Herring - If there was any doubt that the color red is a new aspect of this season, try to ignore all the references from last night's show.

• Benefits Suspended - The stamp on Locke's form.
• Purse - Hanging on the wall of one of the office cubes as Locke stormed out.
• No Soliciting - The sign on Locke's apartment door.
• Shirt - Hanging on the clothes line outside Jack's house at the Barracks.
• Curtains - Both in Ben's bedroom and above his kitchen sink.
• Flowers - At the florist between Locke and his dad during their confrontation.
• Fire Extinguisher - Hanging on the game room wall where Kate was being kept.
• Volkswagen - Locke's car, which in previous flashback's was not red. Hmm?
• Swing Set - Where Sayid was handcuffed.
• Plate - Ben's chicken leftovers.
• Lights - On the submarine when Locke first boarded.
• Blouse - The female detective wore this in Locke's hospital room.
• Shirt - Locke's therapist's.
• Pipes - Where Locke was handcuffed.
• Doors - Outside of where Locke was kept prior to seeing his father.
  

Crazy Theory of the Moment

• Locke's dad is not a captive of Ben but is the big man himself and the bound and gagged scene was yet another con to throw off Locke from what is really happening. Or is there really a big "box" somewhere on the island?

Previews - In next week's show, "Expose", we are going to learn the back stories of our least favorite castaways. No, not the Professor and Maryann, but Paulo and Nikki. Rumor has it we may even feel a little different about them afterwards. Also, Sun learns the details behind her abduction. Hence, the slap to Sawyer's face.

Good news! "Lost" has been renewed by ABC for a fourth season. There are also discussions going on to air the whole season over consecutive weeks from January through May, just like "24" does.

A Little Too Close to Home?

I'm hoping my friends and family will let me know if I ever get too obsessed with "Lost" (he writes in his blog dedicated to the show). Check out this clip from David Spade's "The Showbiz Show": http://www.theshowbizshow.com/index.jhtml?c=vc&videoId=83821

"Par Avion" (Season 3, Episode 12)

Claire, who's your daddy? Oh, it's Jack's daddy. What some of us suspected since Ana's flashback last season when the elder Dr. Shephard tried to see his daughter in Australia was confirmed last night. Conveniently, Claire never learned his name. Otherwise, we may have heard the following: "Jack, your name is Dr. Shephard? My dad's name is Dr. Shephard!" And how about that last scene with Jack playing football with big Tom? Has Jack crossed over or is he playing the Others?

Best Line

• "Well, it's certainly not as infallible as the magical carvings on your stick." Sayid responding sarcastically to Locke's dismissal of the map.
  

Did You Notice?

• The episode was appropriately titled "Par Avion" which is the French phrase used on the label of airmail packages.
• A number of common "Lost" themes were used. 1. The close-up of an eye - not one, but two. First, flashback Claire's, then island Claire's. 2. Car accidents. We can add Claire and her mom to the list: Jack's wife and Shannon's dad were in the same car crash, Michael was hit by a car, Kate's friend was shot in her car, and Sun's lover fell on Jin's car. 3. Father issues. Get in line, Claire, right behind your half-brother Jack, Kate, Jin, Sun, Locke, and all the rest.
• So is the list Mikhail said Kate, Sayid, and Locke were too flawed to be on the same one as Jacob's list? Is Jacob then the magnificent man? Or is that a reference to Charles Widmore or Alvar Hanso?
• The scenes with the sonic pylon security system reminded me of something from the movie, "Jurassic Park". I expected a raptor or a T-Rex to come out of the jungle. Not coincidentally, "Lost" is filmed on the same Hawaiian island as "Jurassic Park" was.
• Is Locke becoming the island's loose cannon? Last week, he blows up the Flame station. This week, he kills Mikhail. And next week, he looks like he uses the C-4 explosive to go all Apocalypse Now on the Barracks.
• The towel baby Aaron was on had the name Bondi Beach, which is one of Australia's most famous beaches.
• Desmond has gone from punching a button every 108 minutes to saving Charlie's life every day. Is this an improvement? And why do all of Charlie's "deaths" revolve around Claire?
• Sawyer was reading Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead", which examines the life of an idealistic architect who prefers to struggle in obscurity rather than compromise his artistic vision.

The Numbers - 4 8 15 16 23 42 (sometimes 108) and more and more 2 & 6

• The mileage on Claire's car read 108.
• Sayid calculated that Mikhail's people were "2 miles in that direction."
• Claire believed her father died when she was 2.
• When asked about her daughter Alex, Rousseau suggested that Kate imagine 16 years from now and whether Jack would remember her.
• Mikhail said their underwater beacon stopped emitting 2 weeks ago.
• One of the Sydney hospital P.A. announcements was for a doctor to take a call on line 4. (It was in fact a message for a Dr. Addison, which happens to be the first name of Kate Walsh's character on "Grey's Anatomy". Her last name on that show? Shephard. Inside joke?)
• Jin counted to 2 before Desmond's "boar hunting" interrupted the bird capture.
• According to Claire's message, the passengers were 6 hours into the flight before the pilot attempted to change course.

Red Buttons

• Seat belt light in Claire's car
• Blood (Claire's and Mikhail's)
• Claire's red-striped shirt
• The surgical scrubs worn by the doctors at Claire's mom's hospital
• Jungle flowers
• The walls at the Sydney hospital featured a waist-high stripe
• Medical cart in Claire's mom's room
• Painted walls at Claire's tattoo parlor

Crazy Theory of the Moment

• The entire show is taking place in Claire's comatose mom's head. Think about it. She was in a car accident. There are a number of car accidents in the flashbacks. She was a librarian. There are a lot of book references. Claire kept the television on since the doctor thought she could hear what's going on around her and this is influencing her thoughts. And Dr. Christian Shephard is really Claire's father and only Jack's dad in mom's imagination.

Previews - Next week's "The Man from Tallahassee" finally answers the question of how Locke became para- Sorry, I thought Rousseau was going to interrupt me -lyzed. Tallahassee, huh? Where Sawyer was in jail and one of the places Kate went to while on the run. Coincidence or crossover? And the week after that? "Expose" gives us flashbacks from the two latest survivors, Nikki and Paulo. We will see some familiar faces we haven't seen in a while. Plus, a special guest star. Hint: He was baron administrator of Cloud City.

"Enter 77" (Season 3, Episode 11)

Russians, Hostiles, and the Purge. Oh my! Thank for you all the information, EyePatch Adams. Oh, wait. He's lying. Or is he? Another good episode done in typical Lost fashion by giving us few answers and a lot more questions. Are The Others really The Others? Or are they the Scientists? Or are Rousseau and her now dead crew the Scientists? Or is Rousseau the real "last living member of the Dharma Initiative"?

Best Line

• "A - It was mine when I took it. B - who the hell are you?" Sawyer to new survivor, Nicki.

Did You Notice?

• Rousseau claimed she had never been to the Flame station before. Seems odd since she's been on the island for 16 years! And did EyePatch Adams react oh-so-subtly when Sayid mentioned her name as if he might know her?
• EyePatch Adams referred to "crossing the line" same as Big Tom did to Jack, Sawyer, and Locke when they first encountered each other in the jungle.
• EyePatch Adams' revealed his name to be Mikhail Bakunin, the same name as the Russian revolutionary considered to be one of the fathers of modern anarchism.
• The logo for the Flame station did not include the Dharma name as the other logos have.
• The merlot and vodka bottles had the Swan station logo on their labels.
• The cat had the same name as Sayid's lost love, Nadia, last seen getting a home inspection from Locke.
• Mikhail said he shared the same birthday as Nadia Comaneci, which is November 12, 1961.
• The Dharma Initiative binders Sayid pulls off the shelf are "Food Drop Protocol" and "Operations Manual".
• We finally found out the purpose of the cable coming out of the ocean Sayid came across way back in Season 1 when Rousseau captured him.
• Yet another incarnation of Dr. Marvin Candle/Dr. Mark Wickmund. First the orientation film, then the video tape, now a computer chess game.
• Locke should be kept away from all computers!
• Following is believed to be the Russian to English translation of the conversation between Miss Klugh and Mikhail: Mikhail: We still have another way. Klugh: We cannot risk. You know what to do. Mikhail: We still have another way. Klugh: We cannot risk. You know the conditions. Mikhail: We have another way. Klugh: They know us. We will not let them [unintelligible]. You know what to do. It is an order. Mikhail: But we still have another way! (pause) I'm sorry!
• Looks like Sayid and the gang are heading for The Barracks, the little community first shown in this season's premiere episode.

The Numbers - 4 8 15 16 23 42 (sometimes 108) and new and improved with 2 &6

• Kate, Sayid, Locke, and Rousseau had been walking for 2 days.
• Mikhail said 4 men appeared and took 2 cows.
• The Flame station was wired with C-4 explosive.
• The number series on the Dharma Initiative manuals, DI 90M1654-21644, included 16, 2, and 4, as well as all the numbers (9+1+6+5+4+2+1+6+4+4) adding up to 42.
• Dr. Marvin Candle's instructions included: Pallet drop, enter 2-4; station up link, enter 3-2; mainland communication, enter 3-8.

Well Red - The color red continues to be seen throughout this episode.

• Hurley's T-Shirt - I cannot recall Hurley ever wearing this shirt in the 2 1/2 years of shows. However, it must be his since it fit him. Why wear it now?
• Cow - The cow whose bell attracted Sayid's attention is classified as "red". And it was unique since all the other cows were of the black and white variety.
• Barrels - Seen against the station wall were two barrels.
• Couch - The furniture in the Flame station were of a reddish fabric.
• Notes - The notes written in the margin of the book were in red ink.
• Chess Game - The on-screen messages had a red background.
• Camera - The station's security camera had a red indicator light.
• Toolbox - Inside the station was a red toolbox.
• Scarf - Sami's wife wore a red scarf when she visited Sayid.
• Bullet Case - Kate took bullets from a red case in the Flame station.

Sawyer's Nicknames

• To Paulo - Zorro
• To Hurley - Avalanche, Grimace, and almost Lump- (before Hurley reminded him of the results of losing the ping pong game)
• To Jin and Sun - Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon

Previews - Next week's "Par Avion" should confirm our previous supposition that Jack's dad is also Claire's as we see another flashback of her life before the island. And then in two weeks, "The Man from Tallahassee" promises the revelation of how Locke lost the use of his legs. I'm guessing it involves a computer.

"Tricia Tanaka is Dead" (Season 3, Episode 10)

Last night's episode had to be one of the most entertaining shows in all of the seasons of "Lost". Granted, it didn't necessarily move the overall story along that much, but to quote Hurley, "We could all use some fun." And what better way for the guys to have fun but fixing a car and drinking Dharma Initiative beer? Plus, we saw the return of Vincent the dog and crazy French scientist Rousseau and a return to the less creepy Charlie. I loved Hurley's recap of what had happened recently with the reveal that he was at Libby's grave. This episode also has us adding Hurley's name to the list of characters with daddy issues (the least of which was the horrendous wig Cheech wore as his younger self).

Best Line
How could I pick just one? Here are my many favorites.

• "Yeah. Chase the dog with the skeletal arm into the creepy jungle. You be my guest." Charlie to Hurley.
• "We'll get that later." Hurley after Roger's head came free of his body.
• "It's like . . . when you're good at . . . crafts." Hurley trying to explain the meaning of crafty to Jin.
• "Well, look at that. Somebody's hooked on phonics." Sawyer to Jin after he speaks English to him.
• "Now that's a hell of a Jesus." Hurley's dad referring to the gold Jesus statue.
• "I have needs." Hurley's mom, her fingers over the ears of the Jesus statue, breathlessly explaining to her son why she wants his dad around.
• Hurley: "I'll give you $1,000 right now if you admit that my dad told you to say this stuff." Psychic: "The mystic arts are not subject to bribes. How dare you -" Hurley: "$10,000." Psychic: "Your dad put me up to it."
• "Shut up, Red . . . Neck . . . Man." Hurley's struggled attempt to nickname Sawyer, to which he replied, "Touche."
• "I'm sorry. You were right. Those pants don't make you look fat." Jin repeating the English phrases Sawyer felt every man should know.

Did You Notice?

• The song playing in young Hurley's flashback, "Shambala" by Three Dog Night, is what began playing on the 8-track in the Dharma mini-van.
• Hurley's dad called him "Little Dude". Now we know where Hurley picked it up.
• Young Hurley's candy bar was not an Apollo bar but a Glacier bar. Polar bear connection?
• The key chain for the mini-van had a rabbit's foot. Wasn't so lucky for Roger the work man, was it?
• Randy Nations, Hurley's former boss and new employee at Mr. Cluck's, was also Locke's boss at the box company.
• The tail of the meteor that destroyed Mr. Cluck's had a smoke monster-like appearance to it.
• What was with the dart that Sawyer stepped on? Had it been thrown from the hatch when it imploded?
• What was up with all the paperwork in the Dharma mini-van? The map Sawyer picked up showed what appeared to be a road connecting the stations.
• So Mr. Eko's Jesus stick now acts as compass. Interesting.

The Numbers - 4 8 15 16 23 42 (sometimes 108) and now with 2 & 6

• The license plate on Hurley's car 429 PCE included 42 and added up to 15.
• Asian reporter Tricia Tanaka said Hurley had won $114 million when we had previously learned in Season One that it was $156 million. The difference? $42 million.
• Sawyer missed 2 months of school due to mono, also known as the "kissing disease". Why am I not surprised?
• Kate said she had 2 good reasons why she didn't ask for Locke's and Sayid's help in rescuing Jack.
• Kate mentioned to Rousseau that she had her escape from the Others was aided by a 16-year old girl named Alex.

The Color Red Again
As in Desmond's recent episode, the color red was prominent throughout the episode.

• Young Hurley's fixer-upper car was red as was his shirt, his tool box, the towel which held his tools, and the tool handles themselves had red accents.
• The exotic flower Hurley laid on Libby's grave was red.
• Mr. Cluck's chicken shack had red in its color scheme.
• Asian reporter Tricia Tanaka's blouse was red.
• Nikki, the new island girl, had on a red top.
• There were red-colored wine glasses on Hurley's dining room table.
• The Dharma van had a red button on the dashboard and the 8-track tape was red.

Is the color red the new Numbers? Should we be watching for it like we listened for the Numbers?

Sawyer's Nicknames

• To Charlie: Oliver Twist, Munchkin, Jiminy Cricket
• To Hurley: Snuffy (as in Sesame Street's Snuffleupagus), International House of Pancakes, Jumbotron
• To Jin: Jin-bo
• To Roger, the Dharma work man: Skeletor

Previews - Next week's "Enter 77" marks the return of Eye-Patch Adams, the mysterious one-eyed stranger last seen on a hatch monitor. Is this the mysterious Jacob? Was his missing eye the one found by the Tailies in their hatch in Season 2? And what does Dr. Marvin Candle's announcement mean: "Manual override achieved. For mainland communication, enter 38"?

This Week's Update

Sorry for the delay, but please check back Friday night for this week's blog entry. I haven't had time yet to re-watch it, compile my notes, and surf the net for things that even I missed.